The present invention relates generally to the field of computer networking, and specifically to a system by which users of on-line computer networks may be exposed to a continuously-changing variety of advertisements. The invention is particularly well-suited for providing advertising to users of electronic mail systems while such users are not connected to an on-line network.
Electronic mail, or “e-mail,” is an increasingly popular way for people to communicate. E-mail allows a person to quickly and easily send textual messages and other information (e.g., pictures, sound recordings, formatted documents) electronically to other e-mail users anywhere in the world.
An e-mail user will typically create a message using an e-mail program running on a computer connected to a computer network through a modem. The message will include an e-mail “address” for the intended recipient. When the user has finished entering the message, the user may “send” the message to the intended recipient. The e-mail program then electronically transmits the message over the computer network. The recipient, using an e-mail program running on his or her own computer, can then “receive” the message.
In recent years the Internet has become the most popular computer network used by consumers and businesses to send and receive e-mail. The Internet allows users to readily send and receive e-mail to and from computers around the world. Each user typically has a unique Internet e-mail address (e.g., bob@pto.com). A user with an e-mail account and a computer capable of connecting to the Internet can easily send and receive e-mail over the network.
Users desiring to connect to the Internet to send and receive e-mail are faced with an ever-increasing variety of service options. For example, a user can subscribe to a proprietary on-line network such as Prodigy, America Online, Compuserve or Microsoft Network. Using a standard personal computer equipped with a modem, the user dials an access number to connect to proprietary on-line network. The user can then send and receive e-mail to and from other users of that proprietary network and, provided that the network is connected to the Internet, with any other user having an Internet e-mail address.
An alternative method for accessing the Internet is through an Internet Service Provider. Again using a modem, the user dials the access number of an Internet Service Provider to establish a connection with a computer “directly” connected to, or part of, the Internet. The user can then use an e-mail program, such as Eudora, to send and receive e-mail over the Internet.
The foregoing are merely examples of the ways that users can establish a connection with on-line networks to send and receive e-mail. Many other access methods exist today, and others will continue to become available as use of the Internet becomes more and more common. The present invention is not dependent upon any particular access method.
A major disadvantage of existing e-mail systems, at least from the standpoint of the user, is that the user must pay for the e-mail service. For example, proprietary on-line networks and Internet Service Providers charge users in a number of ways, including monthly access fees, hourly connect fees, fees charged on a per-message basis, and fees based on the number of characters sent by e-mail. Providing reliable e-mail service is costly in view of hardware, software and communication requirements.
A system for providing e-mail service to users is described in a co-pending U.S. patent application entitled “Electronic Mail System with Advertising” in the named of David E. Shaw, Charles E. Ardai, Brian D. Marsh, Mark A. Moraels, Dana B. Rudolph and Jon D. McAuliffe, filed concurrently herewith. In that system, the cost of providing e-mail service need not be recouped from individual users, but rather, can be recouped from advertisers. The specification of that application is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Apart from the Applicants' innovative e-mail system, some on-line service providers also display advertising to their users. For example, the America Online network displays advertisements to users on a portion of their computer screen. Likewise, advertisements are often included as part of web pages seen by users when accessing certain World Wide Web sites on the Internet. Often in such systems, every user accessing a certain screen or site is shown the same advertisement. More sophisticated systems have the capability to change an advertisement after a certain period of time. Nevertheless, such systems generally require that the user be connected to the on-line network to view the advertisements.
With many existing on-line networks, users must be connected to the on-line network to read and write e-mail messages. This is undesirable for several reasons. From the service provider's view, operating costs (including communication and hardware costs) are necessarily higher when users are connected to network. From the user's view, many on-line service providers charge fees based on connect time. Accordingly, it is more cost-effective if e-mail users read and write their messages when off-line (i.e., when not connected to the on-line network), and only connect to the on-line network to actually send and receive e-mail messages (i.e., uploading messages to the network and downloading messages from the network).
Encouraging e-mail users to minimize on-line access is problematic for on-line service providers and their advertisers because existing systems do not permit advertisements to be displayed and/or updated when the user is off-line. Thus, even if an advertisement was downloaded to a user during a period of on-line access, the advertisement could become “stale.” Advertisers would run the risk of users being numbed or otherwise negatively affected by their advertising as a result of overexposure. Accordingly, there is a need for a system whereby users of on-line networks can be exposed to a dynamic display of advertisements while the users are not connected to the on-line network.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that schedules the distribution, downloading and display of advertisements to users of remote computers that maximizes advertiser revenues but minimizes system costs.